It has been more than 60 years since publisher McGraw-Hill unveiled what is arguably the most influential business-to-business advertisement of all-time. The Man in the Chair didn’t know you, your company, its products or its reputation. He sternly asked, “Now, what is it you want to sell me?”

McGraw-Hill was hyping the impact of advertising, while positioning its portfolio of business and trade magazines as the ideal outlet for companies seeking awareness with business buyers. While the desired channels to connect with customers and prospects have shifted from print to Web, digital and social media, the lessons from the Man in the Chair remain relevant and meaningful for today’s marketer.

The phrase now commonly espoused is thought leadership and, according to new research from PR shop Edelman and LinkedIn, its impact for companies that sell to business and government customers continues to grow. Here are a few conclusions from the study:

Buyers are willing to pay a premium to do business with companies with a clearly articulated vision through thought leadership.

Decision-makers are spending more time with thought leadership content. Most report one to four hours a week dedicated to the review of these materials. That is an impressive level of engagement!

A high percentage of customers express disappointment with the quality of thought leadership content presented by vendors. Vision, substance and credibility are important attributes that are often lacking.

The conference date is circled on your calendar. You are jazzed to attend a gathering of your peers because it is a challenge to break away from the day-to-day requirements of corporate, product or field marketing. Bring on the best practices! It is time to sharpen your craft!

It is a bummer when the event then falls short of your expectations. The speakers, panelists and presenters were well regarded. Yet, their content focused on big-picture trends and strategy. There was little shared that can help you ramp up tactical success.

At Strategic Communications Group (Strategic), we have stepped in to this void with sources to help you accelerate the impact and resulting ROI from your digital, content, Web, social media and demand generation programs. Subscribe to Modern Marketing Today. There’s no charge. Join the more than 300 marketers and sales professionals in the LinkedIn group we moderate.

And finally, check out these four proven approaches from clients we support.

1. Have You Considered this Source for Thought Leadership?

Thought leadership extends beyond a company’s management. Sales engineers, customer service reps and program managers can provide a unique perspective informed by their day-to-day work. This “in the trenches” knowledge tends to resonate with customers because it is timely and credible. The marketers at RedSeal show how us how in this article published by Government Technology Insider.

You have access to a portfolio of corporate authored blog posts, white papers and case studies. How do you make this content relevant to the customer communities important to your sales team? The public sector marketers at NetApp provide an example with the GovDataDownload campaign.

4. Articulate a Vision and Path for Customers

“The US government should consider creating a ‘Department of Data’ to protect constituent personally identifiable information.” This is a wonderful example of thought leadership from an executive at Reed Technology & Information Services.

Fictional literature has introduced us to a myriad of crime solvers, each with their own distinct process and personality.

Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon was the classic tough guy. Agatha Christie’s Miss Jane Marple was a student of human nature. And Sherlock Holmes – the most famous of all sleuths – relied on logical reasoning.

The job of the modern marketer requires detective work. That’s because at nearly every stage of the buyer’s journey most of our prospects choose to remain elusive.

They study best practices. They read case studies. They follow our subject matter experts. Yet, it is all on their terms. There is no putting their name on a form. They rarely respond to Email or phone inquiries.

Like Spade, Marple and Holmes, today’s marketer has to follow clues. We need to observe, study and process. We have to piece together scraps of information to identify a legitimate prospect and draw informed opinions about their needs. It is what is commonly called connecting engagement to demand.

Analytics is at the core of this sleuthing, which is why you will want to review these focus reports recently published by Strategic Communications Group (Strategic):

Federal Focus Report: technical-based products and services drawing interest from government agencies for the upcoming buying season. Learn more and download here.

Healthcare Focus Report: technologies on the radar of buyers at hospitals, health systems, physician groups, pharmaceuticals and government agencies that provide patient care. Learn more and download here.

B2B Marketing and Sales Focus Report: CRM, Web, social and other automation platforms prioritized by marketers and sales professionals. Learn more and download here.

From my spot in the corner of the coffee shop I notice the moment they sit down. They are uneasy; cautious and guarded, yet optimistic. It’s obvious this is a first date.

Sales professionals and marketers know the first date feeling. We live it every day as we help our companies initiate and nurture relationships with prospective customers.

We have to make the approach. We have to communicate clearly and concisely. We have to read the signs. Is there interest? Does the customer have need? Are they a decision-maker or an influencer?

Most important, we have to establish and cultivate trust. This is the foundation of a mutually beneficial relationship. And, as we all know, trust is grounded in an understanding of a customer’s goals and priorities. Just like a first date, we do a whole lot of listening.

Here is an opportunity. This month Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) introduces a new campaign that compiles data from three of our online buyer communities about the trends and topics of interest to your prospects. You can learn more and download each analytics report at these links:

Enthusiasm and unbridled potential soaked the room. One person gushed about his idea. Another had just launched. What trait did these entrepreneurs share? They were all in high school.

Last week I had the privilege of speaking with students studying economics at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland. The talk topic was entrepreneurship, and how to create and sustain a business.

After my story of Strategic Communications Group (Strategic), the students peppered me about customer service, financing, recruitment and promotion. Then, I got hit with the whopper question: what is the one thing I have learned in 20+ years running a business that every entrepreneur should know?

I cheated and gave the students two: 1) great work; for (and with) great people.

Let’s start with the second – great people. My relationship with the senior team at Strategic runs deep. It extends more than a decade. This is no echo chamber though. We have different personalities, beliefs and experiences, which allow for the cultivation of ideas.

It is a similar vibe with clients. Not all, of course. Some stroll in and out like the passing of a season. With others you achieve a mutual respect and professional admiration that carries on. That is the foundation of great work.

In fact, the concept and maturation of the online buyer community resulted from our work with marketers like Rita Walston, Keith Hodson, Lisa Sherwin Wulf and others. In essence, it is the foundational relationship with clients that guide a business.